Immigration News

The EHRC has called for greater measures to be put in place by UK Immigration officials to protect the Human Rights of suspected terrorists and Illegal Immigrants. A report published by the group highlighted that public authorities across the UK as a whole could improve in 10 particular areas when it came to protecting Human Rights.

Whilst the report remained incredibly positive of the UK’s well renowned tradition of Human Rights, which allows the majority of Immigrants and Gypsies residing in the UK to integrate, build relationships and establish family life with very little government intervention, the report did identify a number of groups that have become alienated from such ‘privileges.’

The report did scrutinise the government’s counter-terrorism legislation and focused primarily on powers to detain suspected terrorists for a period of up to 14 days without charging them. In a statement released by the EHRC they said: “the 14-day pre-charge detention was considerably longer than the four days permitted for individuals charged with a criminal offence. Breaching the right to security and liberty, as people who have not been charged with an offence should not be deprived of their liberty for an excessive length of time.”

The EHRC also criticised the unsatisfactory manner by which Illegal Immigrants are held in detention stating that: “measures in Immigration removal centres (IRCs) are based on those in prisons, but IRCs do not have access to similar mental health services, and healthcare staff lack expertise in trauma associated with torture.”

In many cases, the EHRC also identified that Legal Aid is not provided in many situations where suspected terrorists and Illegal Immigrants are involved. UK Immigration is accused of seeking deportation in the quickest way possible as opposed to allowing cases to drag on. At present around 53% of cases involving suspected terrorists and Illegal Immigrants result in quick fire deportation, which the EHRC claims infringes the Human Rights of people as they are not being treated ‘fairly.’